Contour Fashion BA (Hons) at De Montfort University

Established in 1947, our course has unparalleled links with the UK and global intimate apparel industry, providing opportunities to work with national and international companies on live projects, work placements, competitions and awards. 

Specialise in lingerie, athleisure, swimwear, loungewear, nightwear, corsetry or menswear, and study a range of topics that will develop specialist skills. These include skills in conceptual design and application, pattern cutting, grading, fit methodologies, technical excellence and manufacturing, and presentation formats to equip you for industry roles in the UK and worldwide. In your final year, you will choose to specialise in either an aesthetic or a technical route. 

Our industry-led curriculum will prepare you to innovate and adapt to changes within this dynamic sector. You will develop skills in athleisure products - now in high demand following the global shift to remote working which has led to a growth in comfort-inspired, fashion-driven work attire.

Your base will be the award-winning Vijay Patel Building, home to all of our art and design students, which provides both the space and facilities to foster creative thinking. 

The prestigious annual Contour Catwalk Show in London gives you the opportunity to showcase your final collection to a wide range of industry professionals and the public. It will help you to network with brands representing the industry and has become a must-see event for talent spotters and forecasters of future trends.

Key features

• Develop the technical skills, market proficiency, design expertise and understanding of 2-3D creative development needed to innovate in this fast-evolving sector.

• Work on live projects with industry experts to gain valuable skills and insight into the industrial and commercial challenges of design practice. Recent briefs have been set by global brands such as ASOS, Gymshark, H&M and Lycra.

• Benefit from opportunities to enter prestigious national and international competitions to boost your industry exposure.  Previous graduates have won a number of accolades, including Boux Avenue’s Lingerie Designer of the Year and the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers award. 

• This course has a global reputation with industry experts in the intimate apparel industry, with recent graduates employed by ASOS, Gymshark, Agent Provocateur, Triumph, H&M, Clover International, Heidi Klein and Nichole de Carle. 

• 100% of our Contour Fashion graduates from summer 2017 are in work or further study after graduating (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education 2016-17 report). 

• Gain valuable international experience as part of your studies with our DMU Global programme. Previous trips have taken students overseas to visit global brands including Victoria’s Secret, Aerie and Adore Me in New York.  

• We provide core workshop materials at no cost, and give cash awards – £150, £200 and £300 in years one, two and three respectively – to support personal materials/printing costs*. 

• Contour Fashion (Communication) BA (Hons) is a related course aimed at those who wish to pursue a career in marketing and promotion within the intimate apparel industry.

Scholarships: